Melody J. Stewart facts for kids

Melody J. Stewart was a judge on the Ohio Supreme Court. She was born on February 19, 1962. Before joining the Supreme Court, she served as a judge on the Ohio Eighth District Court of Appeals. Justice Stewart was elected to the Ohio Supreme Court in 2018. She made history as the first African-American woman elected to this high court.

Melody Stewart's Education

Melody Stewart studied at several universities. She earned a Bachelor of Music degree from the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati. This degree focused on music theory. She then received her Juris Doctor (JD) degree from the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. A JD is a law degree that allows someone to become a lawyer. Later, she earned a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree from Case Western Reserve University’s Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences.

Her Career as a Judge

Melody Stewart had a long career in law. She first became a judge on the Ohio District Court of Appeals in 2006. She was re-elected to this position two times.

Serving on the Ohio Supreme Court

On November 8, 2018, Melody Stewart ran for a seat on the Ohio Supreme Court. She won the election against the judge who was already in that position, Mary DeGenaro. Justice Stewart served on the Supreme Court from January 2, 2019, until January 1, 2025. Her election was a very important moment because she was the first African-American woman to be elected to the Ohio Supreme Court.

Her Time in Academia

Before becoming a judge, Melody Stewart worked in education. She taught at Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. She was a lecturer, an adjunct instructor, and an assistant dean there. Her main subjects were ethics, criminal law, and how to do legal research and writing. She also taught at the University of Toledo College of Law and Ursuline College. For a time, she was the Director of Student Services at Case Western Reserve University's School of Law.

See also

• List of African-American jurists

External links

• Melody J. Stewart at Ballotpedia